Wood conduit drainage structure



Patented ug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,970,853 Woon ooNDUrrDRAINAGE STRUCTURE Percy E. Hoak, Des Moines, Iowa.l v ApplicationOctober 31, 1932, Serial No. 640,414

2 Claims. (Cl. 61--16) My present invention 'has to do With a Woodenconduit of very simple, durable and inexpensive constructionparticularly constructed and adapted for providing for proper drainage.

5 More particularly, it is my object to provide a Wood conduit which canbe made of short pieces of lumber of which many institutions have asurplus, which can therefore be purchased at a very low price, whichlumber can be l()v creosoted and properly assembled for making a stronglong-lived conduit, the members of the conduit being provided withsuitable drainage slots adapted to permit the entry of drainage water,the slots being of such construction that l5- they are not likely toclog up.

With this and other objects in View, my invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of mywood conduit drainage structure, whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

.. Figure l is a side elevation of a length of conduit embodying myinvention. n

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of one of the members of the conduit,showing the drainage .notch therein. Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sideelevations of members of such conduit, illustrating other arrangementsof the slots or drainage openings.

VFigure 8 is a detail, sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Figure'7; and

Figure 9 is a detail, sectional View taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 1.

My improved conduit is made of creosoted or otherwise properly treatedwood' members arranged in laminated form, as illustrated for in- 4ostance in Patent No. 1,834,643,

December l, 1931 to this applicant and Alfred C. Reinking.

Preferably the members of which the conduit ,are made are constructed intwo standard units, indicated for instance at 10 and 11 in Figure 2.rlhe units 10 are of standard type, as for instance 2x4 with squareends. (I am now describing the units without reference tothe 4,drainageslots, which will be hereafter more 'particularly explained.) The units11, each have a square end and have a rabbet cut in the other end, as at12 to receive one end of a member 10. For instance in arranging thesection of the --conduit, the member 10 is laid on edge as shown .55 atthe lower part of Figure 2 with one edge flush,

issued on let us say, with the right-hand side of the con? duit to befinished. A member 11 is then placed with its fiat straight end restingon the member 10 at the right-hand end thereof, as shown in Figure 2 andas shown at the left-hand side of 60 Figure 1. Another member 11 isarranged as sho-Wn at the left-hand side of Figure 2 with the rabbet 12receiving the left-hand end of the lower member 10. A second member l()is then placed at the top of the conduit section with its left-hand endresting on the upper end of the left-hand member 11 and with itsright-hand end resting in the rabbet 12 of the right-hand member 11.

In the next lamination to the right of the one just described, thebottom member 10 is shoved to the left half the width of the member 11,and a member 11 is placed on the left-hand end thereof. On theright-hand side ofsuch second lamination, referring now to the parts asthey are in a iigurasuch as Figure 2, a member 11 is placed on the endof the member 10 with the right-hand end of the member 10 received inthe notch or rabbet 12 of the member 11. The top member 10 is thenplaced with its 80 right-handrend resting on the upper end of theright-hand member 11 and with its left-hand end resting in the notch 12of the left-hand member 11.

rThis, I have found, `to be a very` desirable structure for many reasonsincluding those set' forth in the prior patentjmentioned.

The successive laminations are fastened to' gether by nails or in anysuitable way.r Itis thus possible to make any particular culvert sectionof practically any desired length. I, of course, usually build theseconduit sections in the factory in certain standard lengths. Conduitsections, such as have already been described, are now quite extensivelyin use for culvert purposes.' v

I have found that this wooden structure has such advantages as to makeit well received by the public and create a demand for its use forspecial drainage purposes. For instance, I have recently installed woodconduits of the kind herein described with the additional features to bementioned for the drainage of a large air port, where especially rapiddrainage of surface Water is desirable.

I provide in the conduit sections built up as hereinbefore described,peculiarly arranged drainage openings. An advantage of this type ofconstruction is that drainage openings of a great variety of sizes andshapes may be prolilo' 'zov vided in the nished product by simple andeffective and economical manufacturing processes. For example, if it isdesired to provide holes through the individual members 11, this can bedone in the factory.

The members 10 and 11 may be provided with holes, notches or rabbets ofany desired size and location and shape. They are preferably so cut,that the small end of the drainage passage Will be at the outside of theconduit, so that the like-l lihood or" clogging is eliminated.

In Figure 'I is shown a member 11, designated also as 11a., with holes13 extending through it in such manner that when the member is assembledin the conduit, theholes extend hori; zontally from outside to theinside of the culvert.

One of the iine things about this 'arrangement is that no rights orlefts needbe made, except in extraordinary circumstances.

The holes 13 are tapered and when they are in an upper member lo, thesmaller ends are placed upwardly, and when they are in a lower member10, the smaller ends 'are placed downward.

In Figures 3 vand 4, I have .shown members 1,1, indicated as 11b andllc, having rabbets 14 and 15. The members are the same, except that therabb'e'ts are on opposite sides. When any such member is used with itsrabbet 12 up, lthe rabbet 14 will be so arranged that its deeper part isat the inside of the culvert. So will it be when the 'rabbet 12 is down.

Figure 4 shows the member 11o as it might be ii used instead of themembers 11 of Figure 2. In fact, the member 11 is shown with a rabbet 15at the left-hand side of Figure 2. Similarly if the member llc of Figure4 is turned upsidedown and placed in the position of the righth'andmember 11 in Figure 2, it Will be observed that the rabbet 15 will serveits function for drainage purposes.

In Figure 5, I have shown a member 1G indicated at 10a. lprovided with arabbet 16 in one side 'deeper at one edge than at the other. Suchl amember can be used 4at the top and bottom ofthe culvert. Y

In Figure 6, I have shown a member 11d similar to the member 1l withnotches or rabbets 17 on both sidesof the member.

It is 'obvious that Where 'the notches are provided as shown in Figure-3, all members 11 or 11b can be made alike and when arranged as shownfor instance in Figure 5i, all the members lQor 10a can .be made alike.A y

It is also obvious that 'by cutting the notches v y on opposite sides,as shown for instance in Figur'es 3 and 4, itis possible to arrange twosuccessive laminated members 1lb and 1-1c together in such a vv'ay thatthe notched or rabbeted sides lregister 'with each other. Thisordinarily .isjnot'desirable but it is a possible arrangement.

VThere is another advantage of "such a structure as that here shown. Themembers 10 and l1 may be cut to size and shape, except for the drainagerabbets or notches, and kept in stock, shipped or stored or transportedto the place of sale or use. At the place of nal sale or use, they maybe again cut to provide the desired notches according to the particulardrainage problem of the situation Where the conduit is to be used.

It, or" course, makesV for economy and simplicity in operations that theconduit may be made up of two standard units. Likewise it makes forsimplicity and economy that so many types of drainage may be providedfor by using the 'saine units, simply cutting different kinds of holesor grooves or notches therein. Ordinarilyno grooves or notches areprovided in the bottom oi the conduit, and in such case, the memberwithout a groove is used While the notched 'or grooved or rabeted member10 would be used at the top. v

1f it is desired to provide drainage openings at one side of the conduitonly, such a construction is easily and readily produced, by usingstandard members 1-1 for the imperforate side of the conduit and members11b, llc, or 11d or 11a or members 11 with other appropriate notches orgrooves or rabbets for the right-hand upright members of the conduit.

Without going into greater detail, it is seen that almost any variety ofarrangements desired might readily be had after the'idea is onceproperlydisclosed and illustrated.

Vhile I have described a particular type of joint for my conduit membersit is not my desire to limit all my claims to such a joint, and itis mypurpose to cover inthe patent to be issued hereon, any form of joint andany modication in form or arrangement which may come Within the 'spiritand scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A wooden conduit structure comprising sections arranged in successivelaminations, each section having `similar upright side members andsimilar horizontal top and bottom members, each side member being formedwith a straigi t rabbeted end, the side members being (formed 'withnotches for drainage purposes, extending from the exterior face to theinterior of the conduit, the notches being of smallest size adjacent totheoutside oi 'the conduit.

2. Members for the construction of a Wooden conduit, comprising sidemembers each with a straight end and a rabbeted end, and top and bottommembers with straight ends, shorter than the Width of the desiredconduit, said side members having rabbets in their sides for drainagepurposes, tapered toward their outer edges.

` lPERCY E. HOAK.

